Renovation strategies: use and changes to Lisbon’s domestic spaces

Published in: REHAB 2014 – Proceedings of the International Conference on Preservation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Historical Buildings and Structures, p. 169-176

Barcelos: Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development, 2014

This contribution proposes a comparative analysis of the original and transformed domestic layout in recent renovations of late 18th and early 19th century housing in Lisbon’s Baixa Pombalina. We specifically look at modifications of room function and connections between spaces according to three main strategies: re-using alcoves for new bathrooms or storage; addressing the kitchen’s present role in domestic sociability; creating additional housing units through flat division. The aim is to identify solutions in contemporary interventions that take advantage of original typological features while simultaneously addressing changes in family life and new comfort demands.